Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,715 per month in Monterrey vs $1,746 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,683 per month in Monterrey vs $2,612 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,652 per month in Monterrey vs $3,478 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

Monterrey is about 2% cheaper than Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Monterrey and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur sit above the global median – Monterrey by 25%, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur by 27%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.60 MX$247

$11.27 MX$190

29.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$905

$52.0 MX$878

3.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.95 MX$202

$9.92 MX$168

20.46%

Cappuccino

$4.29 MX$72.5

$3.53 MX$59.7

21.53%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$29.18

$1.54 MX$26.03

12.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 MX$17.98

$1.04 MX$17.62

1.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$49.90

$2.69 MX$45.54

9.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 MX$79.9

$4.68 MX$79.1

1.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 MX$33.74

$1.87 MX$31.68

6.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 MX$53.2

$3.27 MX$55.3

-3.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$34.90

$2.64 MX$44.59

-21.59%

Eggs

$2.78 MX$47.04

$2.46 MX$41.63

13.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 MX$223

$12.73 MX$215

3.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$10.65 MX$180

-5.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 MX$236

$14.62 MX$247

-4.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 MX$59.0

$2.82 MX$47.58

23.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MX$27.68

$1.62 MX$27.45

1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 MX$38.46

$1.71 MX$28.87

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.60 MX$43.91

$1.82 MX$30.74

42.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 MX$42.80

$1.34 MX$22.71

88.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 MX$48.09

$2.03 MX$34.31

40.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 MX$26.33

$2.99 MX$50.5

-47.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 MX$21.77

$1.29 MX$21.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.21 MX$88.0

$5.20 MX$87.9

0.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.84 MX$251

$11.99 MX$203

23.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$34.00

$1.60 MX$27.06

25.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$3.73 MX$63.0

-16.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 MX$15.14

$0.99 MX$16.65

-9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.72 MX$570

$55.5 MX$937

-39.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 MX$31.31

$4.68 MX$79.0

-60.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 MX$20.17

$3.36 MX$56.7

-64.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.82 MX$200

$11.51 MX$194

2.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 MX$28.29

$1.59 MX$26.82

5.03%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.6K MX$381.5K

$22.5K MX$380.6K

0.24%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.1K MX$458.2K

$25.4K MX$429.7K

6.63%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$128 MX$2,164

$89.6 MX$1,514

42.90%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$28.03 MX$474

$27.14 MX$459

3.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.47 MX$481

$33.74 MX$570

-15.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.66 MX$552

$49.06 MX$829

-33.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.24 MX$393

$30.14 MX$509

-22.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.58 MX$94.3

$4.50 MX$76.1

24.00%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$734 MX$12.4K

$253 MX$4,277

189.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K MX$204.8K

$8,964 MX$151.5K

35.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.5 MX$1,343

$77.0 MX$1,301

3.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.39 MX$784

$55.7 MX$941

-16.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 MX$2,027

$101 MX$1,704

18.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 MX$2,254

$72.6 MX$1,227

83.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 MX$17.8K

$1,224 MX$20.7K

-14.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 MX$12.5K

$793 MX$13.4K

-6.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 MX$34.1K

$2,590 MX$43.8K

-22.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,358 MX$22.9K

$1,251 MX$21.1K

8.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,486 MX$75.8K

$3,864 MX$65.3K

16.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,663 MX$45.0K

$2,174 MX$36.7K

22.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,153 MX$19.5K

$806 MX$13.6K

43.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.56

11.6

-0.34%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Monterrey: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,052 in Monterrey versus $1,224 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 43% higher in Monterrey, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Monterrey versus $52.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $322 – making Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Monterrey vs Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,572 per month in Monterrey and $2,618 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Monterrey, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 64% less in Monterrey. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $734 per month in Monterrey and $253 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Monterrey, where all-in costs run around $1,715, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,746. In Monterrey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Monterrey – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Monterrey. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.